Breathe, not Pant

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Wherever is it coming from?

He can't see, 

He can't feel.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

It gets louder and harsher.

'Hello? Who goes there?'

It stops.

It's in his head.

'Is anybody there?'

Darkness overtakes his surroundings.

Is someone coming to get him for good?

Is it a friend or a foe?

'Hello?'

'Hello?' his voice echoed back.

Can no one hear?

So alone, so afraid, so broken.

He claws the wall,

trying to find a way out.

'Somebody, anybody, help, please...'

But who can hear?

Who would look this way?

Given up.

Hope lost.

There is no changing to this.
There is none...

Creak.

A streak of light comes through.
He hasn't seen it for a while.
A long while.

It is all too bright.

'Hello, old friend.'

It is good to see it again.

It is definitely good to see it again.

**********************************

At times, light can seem so distant that no matter how hard we try to reach it, it is impossible to touch or feel. And the silence overwhelms our very essence. We wonder, we ponder, and we go around in circles hoping to get some sort of sense and logic but to no avail. Answers elude us, and time passes like a bird in summer. Today is no different from yesterday, and we have no idea what tomorrow will bring - whether it would be better than today is a constant battle in our heads. 

Recently, I was challenged by a dear friend to seek first the Kingdom of God in all moments of life. As much as I thought I have always sought after Him and His will only, I realised that I have fallen short. Very short. This simple phrase is much more than it appears. Seeking His Kingdom emphasises on the fact that our minds ought to be focused only on Him, not on our current situations, not on how things will work out, not on ourselves. This may sound obvious, but for me, it is revolutionary. There has been countless times I find myself asking God what I should do next and coming to Him with request after request, (that's not to say that these are not the right things to do because there is precisely nothing wrong with doing just that, which is not what I am trying to say here but we must see beyond our needs and circumstances), only to realise that I failed to simply be in His presence and rest in his glory and wonder. 

So, let us take a step back and just ponder on Him. No requests, no answers required. (And I encourage every one of us that we find time to do this every day - even if it is just 10 minutes.) Take a chair (or not), sit down and breathe. Be away from crowds and noises. Cast cares and worries away. Look at the sky and marvel at its blue and white clouds (and how the clouds move and how they change to bring rain). Go out to the gardens, and look at the flowers - really look at them, the patterns of the petals, the colour (and of course, the fragrance that come with them). How about the ocean? Hear the waves - listen, they are whispering. And the stars at night - oh, how they twinkle in such magnificence. These are His creations. Do you not feel refreshed and inspired? I certainly do!

Therefore, in moments we feel drowned by noises, pains and reality and how we yearn for God's voice rather than silence, we must learn to take a step back and sit at His feet quietly. This is not an easy task, but when was it ever easy to do anything like this? This comes with discipline, which is needed as disciples of Christ so that we can fully experience life in Him. And ultimately, the fruit of the Spirit will outflow from us, helping us to be blessings to others.

'But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.'
                                                                            Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

May peace be with you.